Sight for firearms.



J. W. ATLEE.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1914.

1,129,326. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR I T @mmammm 1N5 humm 5% J. W. ATLEE.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1914.

1,1 29,326. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGM I. n I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

JOSHUA W. ATLEE, 0F RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed June 13, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA W. ATLEE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Riverton, in the county of Burlington, State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sights forFirearms, of which the following is a full, complete, and exactdisclosure.

My invention relates to sights for firearms and more particularly tomeans for raising and lowering the rear sight or eyepiece of a rifle orsimilar firearm in order to adjust the sights for different ranges.

The objects of my invention are to pro- Vide a simple, rapidly andaccurately adj usting mechanism for the rear sight of the firearm; toprovide a device which can be readily placed upon or attached to rifles,guns or similar firearms of difi'erent makes without substantiallyaltering or changing the gun itself; to provide a device upon which thegraduations indicative of the different ranges are directly in front ofthe gunner even when the firearm is being aimed; to provide an adjustingdevice which can be readily set to different positions by the hand ofthe gunner which is used or employed in steadying or supporting the gunwhile aiming or firing; and to provide an adjusting mechanism for therear sight which can be easily adjusted while aim is being taken toenable the gunner to adjust the sights while aiming, such adjustmentbeing particularly useful to a sportsman when aiming at rapidly movinggame.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the specification andclaims below.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which thesame reference letters are used throughout the various views todesignate the same part, Figure 1 represents a portion of a rifle withmy improved sight mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinalsectional View of a portion of the rifle stock and sight; Fig. 3 is atransverse cross-sectional View through the rifle and stock on the line3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view through thebarrel and stock taken on the line H of Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 areelevational views of the two parts of the lifting and lowering cam; Fig.7 is a greatly enlarged view of the pin for operatively connecting thesight with the adjusting cam; Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional Viewthrough the axis of the rear sight; Fig. 9 is a side ele- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 844,846.

vational view of a modified form of my invention; Fig. 10 is an end viewof the modification shown in Fig. 9, the barrel and stock being incross-section; Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of a further modifiedform of my invention; and Fig. 12 is an end View of the same similar toFig. 10.

In Fig. 1 is shown the grip 1, the barrel 2, the stock 3, the hammer 4,trigger 5 and front sight 6 as ordinarily found in a rifle of standardmake. The barrel 2 is circular in cross-section, at least at the rearend thereof in the vicinity of the rear sight 7 which is located in itsusual position with respect to barrel and stock.

In the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the rear sight7 comprises a block 8, having two guides 99 extending vertically withrespect to the axis of the barrel 2, said block 8 being rigidly securedto the barrel 2, in any suitable manner as by being dove-tailed thereinas shown in Fig. 2, and secured thereto by a screw 10.

Mounted between the guides 99 and movable longitudinally thereof, is theeyepiece 11 provided with guide-ways 1212 within which the guides 99smoothly fit. The stock is provided with a transverse channel 13 withinwhich is mounted a cam 14 having an inner surface 15 concentric with,and an outer surface 16 eccentric to the axis of the barrel 2. This cam14 consists preferably of two segments or pieces 17 and 18. The largersegment 17 is preferably provided with a slot or path cam 19 in theforward face thereof and parallel to the outer surface 16. The smallerpiece or segment 18 is secured to the larger piece or segment 17 byscrews 20 and 21. Preferably, the ends of the smaller segment 18 throughwhich pass the screws 20 and 21 are reduced in thickness and rest uponthe ends of the larger segment 17 which ends are similarly reduced inthickness so that when the parts 16 and 17 are secured together by thescrews 20 and 21, a closed ring-like structure of uniform thicknessparallel to the axis of the opening therein is produced.

The eyepiece 11 is preferably provided with a screw or pin 22, the end23 of which is arranged to fit within the slot or cam path 19 with theupper curved surface 24 of the end 23 having a substantial bearingagainst the upper surface of the cam path or slot 19. The block 8 andguides 99 are provided with a transverse slot 25 through which thelarger piece or segment 17 may be turned prior to the securing theretoof the smaller piece 18, so that when so assembled the cam 14 passesthrough the slot 25 and is permanently secured in positionlongitudinally of the barrel by the block 8 with the underside of theeyepiece 11 resting upon the outer surface 16 of the cam 14 and held inengagement therewith by the end 23 of the screw 22 which is inengagement with the upper surface of the cain path or slot 19.

The rear surface of the cam 14 may be, and preferably is, provided withgraduations which may be and preferably are spots or pearls 26 set intothe rear face of the cam 14, said graduations having been so calibratedas to adjust the eyepiece to a predetermined position for apredetermined range when a graduation or pearl 26 is in a predeterminedposition.

The cam 14 is made in two parts or segments 17 and 18 for a number ofpurposes, one of which is to enable one to place the sight upon acompleted barrel and pass the same over and around the front sight 6.The difference in diameter between the front and rear end of a taperedrifle barrel may not be suflicient to allow a closed ring having aninternal diameter equal to that of the exterior diameter of the barrel 2at the point of the location of the rear sight, to pass over the forwardsight 6, and, there fore, the parts are arranged separable in order toallow the front sight to pass through the break in the ring or cam 14caused by the removal of the piece 18 in bringing the cam over the endof the barrel, to the position required to operate the eyepiece.

Another reason for making the cam 14 in two parts is to permit of thepassing of the ring or cam over the base or block 8 to a position whereit may be brought into registration with the slot 25 in the block 8 andthe cam path 19 into registration with the end 23 of the screw 22.

Another reason for making the cam 14 in two parts or segments is toprovide a convenient stop or shoulder at the ends of the cam slot 19 toform limits between which the cam 14 may be revolved or turned withrespect to the barrel 2 upon which it is mounted.

The interior opening of the ring or cam 14 when the parts 17 and 18 arejoined together, is of exactly the same diameter as the exteriordiameter of the barrel at the point where the rear sight is located andwhen assembled in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, theexterior surface of the cam 14 may be readily grasped by the operatorand the cam 14 turned on the barrel 2 as a bearing.

The outer surface of the cam 14 is preferably provided with knurling.WVithin the stock 3 I preferably provide some suitable means for causinga slight friction or braking action against the cam 14 to prevent thesaid cam from being too readily or accidentally turned, and for thispurpose I may provide a recess or socket 28 in which is placed a spiralspring 29 acting against the end of a rod or plunger 30. Thus, thespring pressed plunger 30 acting against the surface of the cam 14 maybe arranged to provide suflicient friction to prevent the accidentalturning of the cam about the gun barrel.

\Vith the parts arranged and assembled in the manner above described, itis plain that by turning the cam 14 around the gun barrel 2, theeyepiece 11 will be raised or lowered, dependent upon the direction inwhich the cam 14 is turned, by reason of the engagement of the eyepiece11 with the outer surface of the cam 14 against which it is held by thepin 22, and that the eyepiece 11 may be brought and adjusted to anydesired position by turning the cam 14 until the desired graduation orpearl 26 is in the proper position for a predetermined range, such, forinstance, as to the left hand edge of the eyepiece 11 and thecooperating guide 9 as shown in Fig. 3 where, it may be assumed, thesight is adjusted for a range of 500 yards indicated by the five spotsor pearls 26 alined with the left hand edge of the rear sight 7. Theother graduations 26 on the rear face of the cam 14 in this form of myinvention are also so arranged as to extend parallel or coincident withthe left band edge of the rear sight 7 when the 400, 300, 200 or 100marks or graduations are brought to that position. It will also beapparent that the turning of the cam 14 to raise or lower the eyepiecemay be readily effected by the thumb and second or third finger of thehand of the gunner which is used in supporting the rifle or gun whenaiming. Thus, a right handed gunner would grasp the rifle grip l withthis right hand and his left hand would support the rifle at or aboutthe position of the rear sight 7 and in this position his thumb andsecond or third finger would be normally on opposite sides of the cam14. V'Vhen in this position, the cam 14 may be readily turned around thegun barrel without interfering in the slightest with the aim of thegunner and the position of the graduations 26 on the rear face of thecam 1.4 enables the gunner to adjust his sights to the desired rangeWithout bringing his gun or rifle down from his shoulder or interferingsubstantially with the sighting of the firearm.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the eyepiece 11 and theguide-ways 12 therein, the block 8, the slot 13 in the stock 3 and thebarrel 2 are substantially like that previously described in connectionwith the e33; @EOMETRlQAL iblfiTRUMENTfi.

form shown in the preceding figures, and the cam 14 is like the cam 14:previously described, except that it is not provided with the slot orpath cam 19, and the graduations 26 thereon are slightly differentlyarranged. In this form of my invention, upon the block 8 provided withthe upwardly extending guides 9, the eyepiece 11 is mounted to slidevertically as heretofore described, but the eyepiece is secured by ascrew 31 to substantially the free end of a flat spring 32 having itsother end rigidly secured to the block 8. The free end of the spring 32extends between the guides 9', 9 and rests against the top surface ofthe cam 14:, and the free end may be slightly turned down over the rearface of the said cam 14:. The upper surface of the spring 32 ispreferably slightly bowed away from the bottom surface of the eyepiece12 on either side of the screw 31 in order that the spring 32 may, as itwere, roll slightly over the undersurface of the sight 12 as the sightis adjusted to the different positions vertically by the rotation of thecam 14.

The normal tendency of the spring 32 is to draw the eyepiece 11downwardly and therefore bear with suitable pressure against the outersurface of the cam 14. It will be apparent that when the cam 14: isrotated, the free end ofthe spring will always bear against the same andas the outer surface of the cam is eccentric, the free end of the spring32 and the eyepiece 11 attached thereto, will be raised and lowereddependent upon the direction in which the cam is turned. In this form ofmy invention, the rear face of the cam 14 is free and unobstructed,because it is arranged on the barrel 2 just to the rear of the guides 9,block 8 instead of passing through a slot therein. The graduations then,on the upper half of the cam 14: are always in view, and, therefore, thegrad nations are preferably arranged radially with respect to the axisof the gun barrel and the position to which they are adjusted inbringing the sight to a desired range is preferably directly beneath theopening through the eyepiece 11. In this form of my invention, I havealso shown a difierent friction device for preventing the free rotationof the cam 14, the same consisting of a leaf spring 33 seated in thebottom of the channel 13 in the stock and secured therein by a screw 34,the-upper free end of said leaf spring being arranged to bear againstthe forward surface of the cam 14.

In the modification shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the same cam 14 as thatshown in the modification illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, may beemployed, but the eyepiece 11 differs from that previously described inthat it consists of the ordinary plain eyepiece rigidly secured to thefree end of the spring 32, said spring 32 having its other end rigidlysecured to the block 8 as described in connection with Fig. 9. I havealso in this modification, shown a different friction device from thatpreviously described, the same consisting of a bow spring 35 secured bya screw 36 in the bottom of the channel 13 in the stock, the free endsof said bow spring being arranged to grasp or bear against the peripheryof the cam 14,. In this modification, the graduations or pearls 26 arepreferably arranged radially of the axis of the barrel 2 and arepreferably brought to a position in vertical aline-ment with the sightin changing the sight to a predetermined range.

It is, of course, to be understood that any of the friction devices forpreventing the free rotation of the adjusting cam may be used ascircumstances may require, or different sights may be mounted tocooperate with the adjusting cam and the different arrangements of thegraduations may be provided, without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a firearm, the combination with the barrel, of a rear sightcomprising an eyepiece mounted on said barrel, and means surroundingsaid barrel and rotative thereon about an axis coincident with the axisof said barrel to adjust said eyepiece to different positions verticallyof the axis of said barrel.

2. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of an eyepiece mountedon said barrel and a manually operable cam mounted on said barrel toturn around the same, said cam being operatively connected to saideyepiece to impart vertical motion to said eyepiece when said cam isrotated on said barrel.

3. A sight for firearms comprising an eyepiece mounted to movevertically with respect to the barrel of said firearm, and a manuallycontrolled cam mounted to turn on said barrel on an axis coincident withsaid barrel and provided with an exterior surface eccentric to the axisof said barrel and upon which said eyepiece rests to raise or lower saideyepiece by turning said cam around said barrel.

4. A sight for firearms comprising an eyepiece mounted to movevertically with respect to the barrel of said firearm, a manuallycontrolled cam mounted to turn on said barrel on an axis coincident withsaid barrel and provided with an exterior surface eccentric to the axisof said barrel and upon which said eyepiece rests to raise or lower saideyepiece by turning said cam around said barrel, and provided withgraduations on the rear face of said cam.

5. A sight for firearms comprising an eyepiece mounted to movevertically, a stud in said eyepiece, and a manually controlled cammounted on an axis coincident with the axis of the barrel of the firearmto turn thereon to raise and lower said eyepiece, said cam beingprovided with a groove eccentric to the axis of said barrel engaged bysaid stud.

6. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of an eyepiece mountedon said barrel and a manually operable cam mounted on said barrel toturn around the same, said cam being provided with means to impartvertical motion to said eyepiece when said cam is rotated on saidbarrel, and provided With graduations on the rear face of said camindicative of the range for which the sight may be set.

7. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of a rear sightcomprising a block, an eyepiece mounted to slide on said block, and acam surrounding said barrel and manually rotatable with respect to saidbarrel to adjust said eyepiece to different positions vertically of theaxis of said barrel.

8. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of a rear sightcomprising a block, and an eyepiece mounted to slide on said blocktoward and away from the axis of said barrel, and a cam surrounding saidbarrel, said cam being made of segments separable from each other.

9. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of an eyepiece mountedon said barrel, and a cam having an opening therein fitting around saidbarrel and manually rotatable upon said barrel on an axis coincidentwith said barrel, and having an eccentric outer surface against whichsaid sight substantially rests and means to hold said eyepiece insubstantial engagement with the outer surface of said cam.

10. In a firearm, the combination with a barrel, of a rear sightcomprising a block, an eyepiece mounted to move on said block, a camsurrounding said barrel and manually rotatable with respect to saidbarrel to adjust said eyepiece to diflerent positions vertically of theaxis of said barrel, and means to hold said eyepiece at all times inengagement with said cam.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of June, A.D. 1914:.

JOSHUA W. ATLEE.

Witnesses:

SEsToN B. MoUL'roN, ALEXANDER PARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

